Cricket mafia flourished during BJP regime: HPCC

Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman Naresh Chauhan has alleged that “cricket mafia flourished” in the state during the previous regime of the Bharatiya Janata Party from 2007 to 2012.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, Chauhan accused former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal of using his power to favour the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, headed by his son Anurag Thakur.

“Government machinery was misused to favour the HPCA, and Anurag misused it for his personal gains,” alleged Chauhan, adding that by violating all laws, Thakur changed the HPCA’s status from a society to a private limited company. “By awarding voting rights to people outside the state, Himachalis were deprived of their rights in the HPCA,” he added.

Chauhan alleged that a government building was demolished and land allotted for a sports complex was used by the HPCA to construct a five-star hotel. He said, “Anurag should tell people the amount of funds released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India for constructing the hotel. There is a big scam in this process.”